Aug 1, 2007

"A Cruder Kremlin"

Today’s FT sports a slick write up on the state of Kremlin spin-ology, “In front of a domestic audience [Putin] often slips into harsh language, even street slang, to get across his message."

On the Litvinenko case, “Mr Putin suddenly switched from calm analysis to harsh words. ‘They are making proposals to change our constitution, which is insulting for our nation and our people,' the president declared at the televised meeting. 'It is their brains, not our constitution, that need to be changed.’"

Easy pickings for UK Ambassador Anthony Brenton:

The Russian constitution, he said in an interview, also "states that economic activities aimed at monopolization are prohibited (Article 34); that people have the right to choose freely their place of residence in Russia, including in Moscow (Article 27); and that Duma deputies cannot engage in paid work (Article 97)."

Rock and roll Anthony Brenton. The "our-constitution-is-sacred" argument just won't hold water.

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